The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-05-26

The emperor wished to reward this
Ludwig for his services, and so no
looked around for some strong castle to
give to Ludwig's keep.
The eyes of the tyrant fell upon tho
Tower of Avcrbock. Conrad of Kiphau-
sen was dead, and his daughter, Joque-
line, a flaxcn. haired beauty of twenty,
held her fathers lands, and was toasted
much by the neighboring gallants under
the title of the "Lady of Averboch."
Many German lord had laid siege to
the heart of the heiress of Averbock,
and report limited that the young Lord
of Eberstine was the favored lover.
The tyrant noted the Castle of Aver.
book and its fair lady. He sent mes
sage to her and proposed to wed her to
noble knight OF his court for the great
love he had borne her father, the dead
Conrad. But the spirited Joqueline,
whose early life had been spent in the
tented field, and who possessed a war
riors heart beneath her sllken robes, de-
clined the emperor's offer. She under
stood that the crafty Albert coveted her
fair castle for one of his favorites.
The tyrant was not easily baflled, and
royal herald rode to the Castle of Aver.
boch and made proclamation that Lud-
wig of Kurt, cousia to the dead lord,
Everhard, the Rhcnish red beard,
claimed the domain of Avcrboch, and
that the emperor summoned the lady to
appear at his imperial court to contest
the claim.
That the adventurer was neither kith
nor kin to the old robber lord was ap-
parent to all; but what justice could one
expect at the hands of a tyrant, eager
to reward one of his minions.
The emperor affected to hear the case; !;
both parties made their statements, the
adventurer backing his claim by twenty
rogucs, who swore right stoughtly that
they knew him to be the cousin Of the
old red beard.
Joqueline was in despair, for she saw
that the trial was a farce, and that the
emperor intended to decide against
her regardless of the truth, and,
as the last resource, she claimed
the "ordcal by battle" the right
of every noble when life or prop
crty was at stake.
"Grant her prayer, most, noble en-
peror," cried the adventurer, confident
in his skill in arms. "Iet her produce
champion, and if with lance I do not
prove that my cause is lust, then J am
content to lese."
Within one week Joqueline must pro-
duce a champion in the lists ready to
contend with Ludwig Or lose her estate.
The maiden counted that young Eber-
stine would fight for her, but ere the
time came, on a couch of sickness the
young lcrd lay.
The trumpets sounded in the lists be-
fore the emperor and his court, on the
appointed day, when Ludwig cast his
steel-clad gauntlet down. Neither the
lady nor her champion seemed at hand,
but at the last summons a slightly built
knight, arrayed in armor, with the visor
down, rode into the lists. The knight
was stranger to all. A purple plume
foated from his helmet, but his shield
was clear of device
"Ho, you, Purple Plumc!' quoth the
emperor; "fghtest thou for the lady o.
Averboch2"
The knight bowed, the trumpets gave
the signal, and the contest began.
With leveled lances Ludwig and th'
unknown knight rushed upon each other
but heaven was with the right, for th'
horse of the advcnturcr SHE'D, and Lud
wigs lance, forced upward, struck tn,
helmet from the head of the Purpl,
Plume without ha, ming him, but tn
lance of the unknown took Ludwig full
in the throat, and hurled him lifeless t.
the ground, and then, before the empe
ror and all the court, the Lady o
Averboch" stood revealed in the un-
known knight. She had donned armo
and fought for her fair estate. Eve
after the day in the lists the banner o
Averboch bore as its device simpl
Purple Plume, in memory of Joqueline's
brave deed.